Make accepting cash more affordable for charities, review says

The Access to Cash Review warns that as the use of cards and digital payments increases charities are facing rising costs to process cash

The report

The government should introduce measures to make it more affordable for charities and small businesses to continue accepting cash, an independent review has concluded.

The Access to Cash Review, published this week, warns that charities and small businesses are facing higher costs to process cash as more people turn to using only card and digital payments and bank branches close.

If current trends continue, the report says, the UK is on track to stop using cash completely by 2026. Although the report’s authors do not think this will happen, they warn that cash could account for only one in 10 transactions by then.

Charities have in recent years expressed concern about the effect that cash disappearing would have on donations, particularly bucket collections.

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